Inspired by classic tabbouleh for our Mediterranean spread, this couscous salad takes what we had in our pantry and elevates its basic beauty to a vivid, flavorful centerpiece. If you haven’t had grilled halloumi before, prepare to be enthralled — our family was fighting over the pieces left! The cheese can be hard to find, but I’ve gotten lucky at Fresh Market and Whole Foods.
I find this dish to be equally delicious served hot, at room temperature, or cold! That’s the beauty of a pasta or grain salad.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese, cubed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 boxes instant couscous (we love Near East brand!)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, coarsely chopped
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- Flaky sea salt, to garnish
- Chopped parsley, to garnish
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cherry tomatoes and toss in a tablespoon of olive oil. Bake until tomatoes blister and begin to burst, about 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
Cook and fluff couscous according to instructions. While couscous is cooking, heat remaining olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add halloumi in a single layer and allow to grill, untouched, for 3 minutes. Flip once golden and continue to cook for 3 minutes more. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain oil.
Transfer fluffed couscous to a large serving bowl. Stir in olives, half of crumbled feta, lemon juice, and half of halloumi. Then, garnish top of couscous with blistered tomatoes and remaining halloumi and feta, parsley, and sea salt. Serve at your preferred temperature.
Cara Greenstein celebrates intentional and exceptional cuisine in her award-winning food and lifestyle blog, Caramelized, which offers recipes and restaurant reviews, food-focused travel itineraries, and endless tablescape tips. Follow @cara_melized on Instagram for daily inspiration and bookmark her recipes at Caramelizedblog.com.
